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Local Airport Breaks Flyer Record

SALISBURY — The Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport set a new record for the number of passengers flowing through the facility in 2011, topping the airport’s 13-year-old record.

Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt on Wednesday announced the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport established two new records in 2011, the most significant of which is the new record for the number of airline passengers during the year. Wicomico-based Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of U.S. Airways, established the new record by flying 143,736 passengers through the airport in 2011. The old record of 142,391 was established in 1998.

The period between 2000 and 2010 was challenging with annual airline passenger activity plummeting to 105,553 passengers during 2002. Airline passenger activity remained relatively flat until 2009 with 117,829 passengers and in 2010 with 129,341 passengers. However, passenger activity at the airport spiked in 2011, resulting in a new record.

“The passenger activity increases at the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Airport are certainly a positive economic indicator for the area,” said Pollitt. “And now with the addition of new service to Orlando, Fla. by Allegiant Air we expect the surge of activity in our airport to continue.”